Buprenorphine is a semi-synthetic opiate with partial agonist and antagonist actions. As such, it is a powerful analgesic that is approximately twenty-five to forty times as potent as morphine and is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic pain or for pre-operative analgesia. Buprenorphine is also used to treat opiate addiction. Accordingly, the demand for buprenorphine is increasing. Processes for synthesizing buprenorphine have been known since the late 1960s; it is traditionally made from either thebaine or oripavine in multiple steps. However, overall yield is typically low and the final product has levels of impurities that exceed the currently prescribed guidelines established by the International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) and the United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP). A need, therefore, exists for efficient processes that increase the yield of buprenorphine while minimizing the formation of side products, wherein the final product has a level of purity that meets current ICH and USP standards.